Since even before the Dinosaurs, Sharks have ruled
the oceans of the world. Other creatures that evolved after have become
extinct, yet Sharks continued to evolve and survived. But how long will
they last? Will they survive the next hundred years?

These
magnificent, mysterious and misunderstood creatures, like every other
animal on this planet, must hunt its food to survive. Research has showed
us that although Sharks are very good hunters, they can also survive
for weeks without eating.

Since
mankind started making use of the Sea, stories of horrific encounters
with man-eating monsters have been told. These monsters soon became
the worst nightmare for anyone venturing into the water. There are over
450 different shark species, and today, we know that out of these, only
a handful are considered as a risk to humans. Records show that the
average number of Shark attacks in one year is less than a hundred worldwide,
and of these, less than 8% are fatal. So Sharks are not the monsters
that our ancestors claimed them to be.

Where
than is the Danger? There is minimal danger to humans but now let us
look at the other side of the issue. We know that Sharks mature very
late in life, {between 7 to 30 years old} and that the reproduction
cycle can take as long as 2 years.

Sharks
are now facing huge problems that unless something is done, they will
not see the next millenium. Pollution of our oceans is a big problem
for sharks, but it is not the biggest. The worst is over-fishing. Sharks
have always been hunted for many reasons mainly revenge, souvenirs,
clothing.... etc.... but now they are also being hunted in massive amounts
for food.

Millions
of Sharks are being massacred every year just for the sake of having
their fins cut off for an oriental dish called "Shark Fin Soup". The
process is that when the Shark is caught, the fins and tail are chopped
off and the mutilated Shark is thrown back into the water to die a slow
painful death, or be savagely attacked by other hungry predators. This
is about 200 times more than it was in 1995. Just for the sake of this
so-called aphrodisiac dish that costs around $30. So whilst those hunting
the Sharks are getting very rich, the sharks are being wiped out.

Indonesia,
Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, are the largest producers of Shark
Fin Soup, killing over 700,000 sharks every year and slowly their Ships
are invading all the Oceans of the World, even here in the Mediterranean.
As soon as one area is considered to have no more sharks around, they
move off to another location. This trade in the orient has grown to
such extent that the Gang Wars by traders have out grown those of the
Mafia.

A
number of Countries have already banned Shark finning including the
USA and in the EU. Even as I write this, Shark conservation groups continue lobbying
for a world wide ban on shark finning.

Looking
back at the Statistics, 6.5 Million sharks are killed by humans for
every 1 human that Dies from a Shark attack in a year!!! If nothing
is done about this scandal ... there will be NO sharks in the next Millennium.

Everyday that
this massacre goes on, Sharks are slowly getting closer to the dangerous
levels of extinction. We have to do something and we have to act fast.

Also other large amounts of sharks
are being caught as a bycatch by fishermen, plus others end up in Aquariums
and do not survive for long.

It is for this reason that this
website was created in 1997, To raise awareness towards Shark Conservation
issues.

Up to some small extent, it has made an impact, but that is not
enough!!! You can also help make a difference!!

We need a lot of help from those that are willing to take this
challenge with us. Sharks have been labeled
as Monsters and Man-eaters for a long time, and to convince the right
people to pass laws for Shark Protection, takes a lot of hard work.

Here are some of the things that you can do:

1) Help us spread the word that Sharks need to be protected.

2) Talk to your Parliament members and Representatives and let them know why Sharks need to be protected.

This is a short story of sharks
that live in Balinese waters.
There are all types, i.e. Threshers, Makos,
Reefs, Whites etc. The boats come to beach and everybody who's got a restaurant
is there to meet 'em. They check the catch, weigh it, butcher it and cook it.
That's the short and sad story of sharks living in the Indonesian archipelago
as fishermen find it a lot easier to catch them instead of going for the traditional
catches of smaller fish, therefore also spending the least time at sea and making
the most of it. Very sad indeed my friend.

Unfortunately
some people who try to educate these fishermen have not succeeded so far and is
doubtful whether they will, as long as there's a consumer's demand for their meat
and jaws and teeth. When I took the pics, 6/7 sharks had been landed and they
did not hang around too long either. I was there again the day after and the same
happen again!! I also spotted some tiger sharks jaws drying up under the intense
sun, and some collector from down under haggling for the best price, usually about
10 dollars a piece, just to be sold in western markets, specially the USA, at
great profits.

Will this end with the demise
of the King of the sea? Most probably not. Anyway I hope these pics are of some
good to you.

All the best,.
DINO

click
on images to enlarge

This
is truly a sad story that is happening every day,
and not only in this place!!
We can all do something to
STOP IT!!

It's almost 3 o'clock in the morning but I lost track of time as I wondered of
in your incredible site. Never seen anything like it!! Nice pictures and very
educational but above all : you can read your "sharkpassion" in every
page.

I come from a country where
we are not so familiar with great sharks namely : Belgium.

As
you know Belgium is situated at the North Sea and the only sharks we'll ever meet
here are "doggie's" or a few other small species. Nevertheless they're
small : they still are beautiful creatures.

As
it is not so evident to encounter any huge sharks here with us you probably wonder
where my fascination for these animals is coming from. Well I have to make a confession
: I'm a fisherman or rather I was a fisherman (not professionally!). I travel
around the world and try to catch as many different shark species I can simply
because I'm really fascinated by these beautiful animals.

And
very important with my hand on my heart I may say that until now I NEVER killed
one!! However, as the years are passing I find it harder and harder to put the
bait on the hook because I'm starting to realize that I rather like to see them
in their natural habitat. Not struggling with a hook in their mouth...

That's
why websites like yours are very important : they give people as myself the necessary
conviction of stopping chasing these animals and learn to love them free swimming
where they belong : in the open sea.
I'm starting to get diving lessons and
will put my fishing gear away... forever!

The
horrible things I witnessed already on my journeys, I can't describe them. Mostly
from Japanese "longliners" (Guinée-Bissau where the beach was
laying stuffed with skeletons of huge sharks just with their fins chopped off!).
Or England (Cornwall) where they slaughter enormous amounts of Noseshark (Porbeagle)
every year or Gran Canaria or Ireland or...

There
is still much to do to stop these crazy killings but from now on you can count
me in!

If we could only let other
people think about the consequences and the impact fishing and slaughtering of
our beloved sharks has on the fragile balance of sea life it would already be
a success.

Once someone told me :
" I don't care if whales disappear I probably never see one anyway."
Can you comprehend such idiotic thoughts??? They don't realize that oceans were
the beginning and will also be the end, if wasted, of all life as we know it.
So if anyone has a little bit of common sense he will realize that sharks are
a crucial part as top-predators in their habitat.

Just
imagine their are no more sharks near Dyer Island : the amount of seals would
be enormous. Result : a lot of diseases in the seal population, disappearing of
all available fish what leads automatically to extinction of other species or
uncontrollable weed growth...

I can't stop writing... Let's hope we can convince some more people of the importance
of protecting sharks. It won't be easy but it's worthwhile and...they earn our
respect.

I
will recommend your site everywhere and will do all I can to save these unique
animals from being wiped out.

Keep
up the good work, I will do anything I can for our friend the shark in this region.

Happy
diving and thank you again for sharing all that valuable information with everyone!!!